Lifting of the Dispensation from the Obligation to Attend Mass

Cardinal Gregory and the Bishops of the Province of Baltimore (Archdiocese of Baltimore, Catholic Diocese of Arlington, Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, Catholic Diocese of Richmond and the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston) have jointly announced that the dispensation of the Sunday and Holy Day Mass obligation will be lifted beginning on Saturday, June 26, 2021 and Sunday, June 27, 2021.

You can also read the full joint statement of the Bishops here. 

God bless,
Fr. Andy


Dear St. Benedict the Moor Family,

It is with great joy that I bring you the following update:

The guidelines for the “Public Celebration of Mass and Holy Communion Outside of Mass” has been revised.
All are welcome to attend Mass on Saturday or Sunday. There is no capacity restriction. This allows us to now open all pews.  It is still suggested that you keep 3 feet distance between yourself and other parishioners. At the Sign of Peace, please use hand gestures, such as a bow or wave. Hand shaking should be avoided. Hand sanitizer will still be available as you enter and exit the church. The use of masks while gathered indoors is not required for fully vaccinated individuals and is recommended for non-vaccinated individuals.

For further information, please visit the Archdiocesan website at the link below:
 adw.org/coronavirus 
May God continue to richly bless you.
Fr. Andy

Easter 2021

Dear Parishioners, Visitors and Friends,

God’s peace and blessings be upon you as we celebrate this Easter. May the Risen Lord strengthen your faith, renew your hope and fill your heart with love.

All throughout the year and especially during the Lenten season that just ended, we certainly were all praying and hoping that the pandemic will finally end and that we could freely gather together as family and as a community around the altar to celebrate the Holy Triduum and especially Easter without any restrictions or fears of the coronavirus. Alas, it still lingers and we don’t know when it will finally end.

Despite of everything, and especially on this Easter day, we need to focus on what doesn’t change, that is, God never stops loving us. He will never stop to help and give us strength. Therefore, we are being called to boldly rise to this challenge of keeping our faith and community alive, and drawing others to faith, in light of all that is happening around us. I personally believe that every crisis in our lives and in our world is an open door to show God’s love and mercy. While the current environment around us is one of fear, let us trust that God is in control. Now, more than ever, is an opportunity for us all believers in the Risen Lord to outshine the darkness.

On this Easter Sunday, we therefore shout with joy and celebrate even within the confines of our homes with our families, thanking Him for the gift of our salvation. We also praise Him for his protection and for the gift of life he has given us. We pray for all our brothers and sisters who are sick and are having difficulties; those who are grieving for the loss of a loved one. And we pray for the repose of the souls of those who have gone before us.  In joy, in sorrow and in pain, the Risen Lord is with us, tightly embracing us.

In closing, I am sincerely and deeply grateful for your generosity and all your support for our parish. Even and despite of all your difficulties, you continue to send your contributions. May our Lord reward you a hundredfold. For those who are able to come back and worship with us in person, I thank you so much. For those who are still hesitant and are feeling uncomfortable, we understand and respect you and know that you are united with us in prayers and in spirit.

Happy Easter to all of you and may He bless you now and forever.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Andy

Christmas 2020

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

 “In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways… In these last days, He has spoken to us through the Son” (Hebrews 1:1-2).

Christmas provides a unique opportunity each year for us all to re-focus. Not only are we reminded of the awe-inspiring, world-changing, life-altering gift that is Jesus; but we are also reminded of our need for this Jesus to heal us in our brokenness. That is indeed why he came, wasn’t it?

With deep joy and gratitude, I extend to you my prayerful best wishes for a holy and blessed Christmas. During this Advent Season, it has been my prayer that each of you would find opportunities to reflect on your own faith and relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and His Church. Whatever it is that our hearts and souls desire, whether we realize it or not, our ultimate desire is Jesus Himself, for this reason, we are filled with joy and consolation at Christmas to know that all that we hoped for has been fulfilled in the person of the Christ Child.

As we are all aware, the global spread of the coronavirus, COVID-19, has become a central topic of discussion and concern for many of us this 2020. It has caused us to think about the things we take for granted and to rethink how we go about the practices of our daily lives. In the church, this pandemic has caused us to consider new ways to approach what have been longstanding practices and traditions.

COVID-19 does not appear to be ending soon, even with the vaccine now approved. Be careful. Be cautious. Be wise and practical in what you do. But do not live in fear. What I fear, more than COVID-19, is that we will forget who we are and to whom we belong. We need to step back and stay centered and remember and remind each other that we belong to Christ.

In the midst of all our current challenges and concerns, the love of God the Father is made manifest to us in the wonderful gift of His Son, Jesus, the Emmanuel, the God-with-us. With the angels in Bethlehem, our faith moves us to sing: “Glory to God in the highest and peace to His people on earth!”

With sincere gratitude for all you have been and done and will continue to be to grace St. Benedict the Moor Parish, I hold you in my heart and in my prayer this Christmas season, asking God to bless you and your family with peace, joy, hope and love. Together, may we grow in strength and grace to know and celebrate together God’s presence in our lives and His dominion over all things of this world. Let this pandemic not lead us to forget what is essential in our lives.

May our Lord Jesus Christ, born in Bethlehem, bless you, your families and loved ones at this blessed time of hope and grace. May Mary, the Mother of the Child Jesus and our Mother, watch over you and our beloved parish family always. God bless you now and forever.

A Blessed Christmas and a Hope-filled New Year!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Andy Gonzalo

Thanksgiving 2020

Dear Parish Family,

Happy Thanksgiving!"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever" (Psalm 136:1).

Today is the day we set aside to express thanks for all that is in our lives. Even when things aren’t going so well, there’s so much to be thankful for. Yes, there is so much bad news arriving daily from around the world and right here in our home; there is this Covid-19 pandemic that have destabilize our lives, but even in the midst of all this bad news, we can give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!  Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.  Let us pray for our country, pray for our church and civil leaders, pray for peace in the streets, pray for the doctors, nurses, hospital aids, pray for the workers in grocery stores, delivery personnel and those who serve and protect us both at home and abroad, pray for our families and friends; but in our prayers, let us not neglect to give thanks to the God from whom all blessings flow.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).

We have so much to be thankful for. This world may be scary at times, but God has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.  He said, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9). After all, he is our King as we have just celebrated last Sunday. In a recent general audience, our Holy Father emphasized the virtue of hope, “in the face of the pandemic and its social consequences, many risk losing hope. In this time of uncertainty and anguish, I invite everyone to welcome the gift of hope that comes from Christ. It is he who helps us navigate the tumultuous waters of sickness, death and injustice, which do not have the last word over our final destination.”

This Thanksgiving, I am thankful to God for each of you!  It is a joy and a privilege to be your pastor, and most especially to be your brotherin Christ and serve alongside of you in the name of Christ.Together, may our service to the Lord "overflow in many thanksgivings to God" (2 Corinthians 9:12)!

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Stay safe always and God bless you and your family.

Fr. Andy

 

Online Giving is NOW POSSIBLE

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Hope you are all doing well. 

There is now a possibility for our parishioners and friends to donate online. What you only need is to "CLICK"  on the section "Offertory/ Donation" locate don top of our website and then fill up the form to give your donations. This is a very convenient way of giving and supporting the mission of our parish, even if you are not able to come to church as we are exxperiencing now due to this pandemic. You won't need to write a check/ an envelope. All you need to do is click and put the amount you want to donate. It could be a one-time giving or a recurring one, depending on what is convenient for you.

I thank you so much for your generosity and support to our parish.
Know that you are always in my prayers and I think of all of you everyday as I celebrate my mass. If you need any assistance or help, please do not hesitate to call the parish. You can also email me at stbenedict.dc@adw.org

God bless you all and take care and stay safe always.

Fr. Andy

Dear Parishioners,

Please follow live Sunday Mass at 10:00 am. Please click the facebook link below.
https://www.facebook.com/stbenmoordc/

We invite you to join in the mission of the Annual Appeal as we seek Christ together. By strengthening the charitable works of our Archdiocese, you enable all those Seeking Christ to find His healing, His Word, and His friendship. To donate online, please click here and follow the instructions to select your parish St Benedict the Moor and donate. If you want to donate by mail, you can do so by completing the form here. You can also donate by texting "give" to (301) 231-1816

USCCB's Books of the Bible
Cathechism of the Catholic Church
Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church
Formed:Diving into the beauty of the Faith has never been easier: at home, on the go, or from any internet connected device. Please click here or this link to learn more about Formed the Catholic Faith in Demand.